India, Canada urged to develop economic linkage

Chennai, Jan 8 (IANS) To have better economic relations and also increase the bilateral trade from the current $4 billion, India and Canada should work towards signing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), a Canadian official said.“Both the countries can pursue a FTA within the next 10 years. The countries can have economic linkage in agriculture, information technology, civil aviation, energy, defence technology, higher education and tourism,” Deepak Obhrai, parliamentary secretary to the Canadian foreign affairs minister, said here Wednesday.

Speaking at the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) Round Table held with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in conjunction with the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2009, he urged both the countries to sign agreements to expand civil aviation linkages.

According to senator Consiglio Di Nino of Foreign Relations Committee, Canada, the diaspora should help form new global political, economical and cultural structures.